Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The annual and seasonal anomalies in the electron content of the ionosphere

1968; Elsevier BV; Volume: 30; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0021-9169(68)90467-4

1878-593X

Gill Nelson,

Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics

Relatively accurate diurnal variation curves of electron content are presented for Sydney (33·8°S, 150·6°E). The results were derived from recordings of the Faraday rotation of the 20 Mc/s transmissions from Sputnik 3 during the years of very high solar flux 1958–1960. These, and other Southern Hemisphere results are then used in a comparison with Northern Hemisphere results. It is found that the daytime electron content is a maximum in the equinox at high solar fluxes. In general the summer values are about the same in both hemispheres whereas in winter the values in the Northern hemisphere are significantly greater than those in the Southern Hemisphere. In both hemispheres the electron content is greater in winter than in summer at high solar fluxes and the reverse is true at low solar fluxes. These results imply both seasonal and annual anomalies in electron content at high solar fluxes. At low fluxes the seasonal anomaly is virtually absent but the annual anomaly may still exist. There is also some evidence that the electron content at a given value of solar flux is greater on the declining than on the rising phase of the solar cycle.